Henry



(No Model.) M 3 H. C. WHITMARSH.

BUCKLE. No. 378,991l l Patevnted'MaL 6, 1888.

N. Pains, Phmumognphr, wnhmgmn. nA a NITE STATES PATENT OEEcE.

HENRY O. VVHITMARSH, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, ANlj CHARLES O. CARPENTER, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,991. dated March 6. 1888.

Application filed August 18, 1887. Serial No. 247,235. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, HENRY C. WHITMARsH, of Brooklyn, Kings county, inthe State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buckles, of which the following is'a specication.

My improved buckle is intended more par- Y ticularly for use in Suspenders, and I will so 5o make a smooth joint.

describe it.

I have discovered that bysimply providing in the frame of the buckle a flat casing or tube of moderate length adapted to appl'y closely to the web the web may, at a little distance from such tube, be engaged and disengaged at will with fixed teethat the lower rear edge. The teeth will thus be surrounded and guarded by the other 4parts against injuring any part of the clothing in Vany contingency, and such buckle will hold the web reliably under all the shakings and distortions to which it is subjected by active movements of the wearer. The teeth are so guarded that they may be very sharp, like needle-points. I mayv refer to them as needle-points.

The buckle may be made complete from a single piece of sheet metal cut and bent by suitable dies.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and illustrate what I consider the best mode of carrying out my invention.

Figure 1 represents the blank before it is folded. Fig. 2 is a face view of the buckle in use. Fig. 3 is a back view of the same. Fig. 4 is a section on the linear x in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line y `yin Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicateA lcorresponding parts in, all the figures where they occur.

In making this buckle a blank of the form shown in Fig. l is first formed by suitable dies or otherwise, which blank is afterward folded around a former .of suitable thickness, (not represented,) and thus formed into a at tube having an internal width and thickness corresponding to that of the Web with which it is to be used'. The edges of the blank are united by soldering. They may be chamfered by any suitable means while in the blank, so as to The parts may be so proportioned and the dies or other bending appliances so adjusted and operated as to form the joint at one edge of the tube, or at the middle of one of the dat faces, or at any intermediate point. It is only essential that the tube be so formed as to apply close to but easily against all the surfaces of the web which is thrust through it, and thereby maintained in a plane condition for a sufficient length to prevent any shaking or bending of the free portion of the web above the tube from being communicated through the tube to affect the portion below.

A is the flat tubular portion of the buckle; A', an extension of the front face, and A2 A2 smaller and properly-pointed extensions at the lower edge of the other or back face. The eX- tension A is provided with a hole, a, which receives the clasp B, which latter may be formed and applied in any ordinaly or suitable manner. The clasp engages with cordloops C. The drawings represent a conven` ient form of the clasp. The pointed extensions A2 form the teeth or needle-points, which correspond in function to the tongue of an ordinary buckle.

D is the web of the suspender. It is inserted through the dat tubular portion A to the extent desired, and the free end below such tube is drawn rearward and engaged with the teeth A2. Tension applied to the web D from above, drawing it upWardLengages the teeth the more deeply, and slacking, shaking, or bending the web above the buckle is of no effect upon the web below said buckle, such motion being destroyed and its communication through the buckle prevented by the closefltting tube A, which also prevents in anywise the engagement of the teeth below.

Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. The teeth A may be deflected slightly forward. This Will facilitate the adjustment of the web, especially its upward movement, when such becomes necessary. The needle-points or teeth may be bent slightly backward. This will facilitate their engagement with the web. I prefer, however,

that the teeth form straight continuations of the flat tube A, as shown.

Parts of the invention may be used without the whole. I can dispense with the extension or shield A; but I prefer to retain it, as it guards effectually against the possibility of the needle-points A2 inflicting any injury on the clothing in front.

The presence of the free end of the web bclow the teeth in the rear and ofthe extension A at the front together guard against any pos sibility that the teeth may, by any contortion or bending ofthe wearer, be brought into position to injure the clothing in any Way Whatever.

The material may be Varied. I prefer to make the whole from one piece of metal with the edge bent and soldered, as described; but it can be made in two or more pieces. I propose in some cases to make the back face of the tube with the needle-points of metal in one piece, and to produce the remainder of the tube of leather, Woven fabric, or any other desired material. It is onlyimportant that it shall inelose and lit closely to the web, so as to hold it in the manner of a tube, and prevent the slacking and contortions ofthe web above from affecting the hold on the ncedle'points A? below.

, at any point. more pieces rigidly united, there is no work- An important feature of the buckle is that it may be made perfectly smooth at the back and front, so that it cannot chate the clothing Being all in one piece, or of HENRY C. WI'IITMARSII.

'Wi tnesscs:

Gno. W. Loeiiwoon, C. L. CARPENTER. 

